The days following Louis Moreno's death were by no means easy. Imogen found herself barely able to leave her bed, let alone to do her duties as Fiona's maid. She was newly broken and without reason to go on, as the entire reason she'd gotten this job was to pay for her father's medical expenses. Sure, she had been able to pay for the funeral but after that, what was the point? Fiona had abandoned talks of running away for now, trying to be sensitive to Imogen's needs. She barely left her bedside during that time, much to the disapproval of her family members. It was five days past that grim day when Fiona finally said something.
"Immy," She began, using the nickname she'd grown accustomed to using over the past few days. It seemed to calm her somehow, and now she couldn't break herself of the habit. "Have you thought any more about our plans?"
Imogen pulled herself up in bed and leaned her head against the wall. She clenched her jaw resolutely, and nodded. "I have. And we should. Soon. Before anything else horrible happens. Do you have any solid ideas yet about carrying it out?"
"Well, I figured I could bribe the chauffeur, that shouldn't prove too difficult. Also I'd leave a note for my family explaining all the details of what has happened, including what Declan did to me. They have a right to know what a monster their son is. Then you and I will get a ride to the nearest train station. We'll pick a place, doesn't matter where, and start over. I'll find a job as a seamstress, put my sewing skills to work. And you can be a maid with the reference I will convince Thomas to give you. Or any other job to your liking, really. I think we shall do quite well."
Fiona was proud of how much she had thought about the matter. While Imogen had grieved, she thought of nothing else but what they would do when they ran away. She even had one or two towns picked out but she didn't want to make all the decisions regarding their future. Because in their future together, they would finally be equal.
Imogen seemed surprised at the extent to which Fiona had planned. "But what about living arrangements?"
"I hate to do this, but I've got quite a few things I could pawn, and I have quite a bit of money as well, we could stay in a motel until we gathered up enough to buy a small place." She really had planned everything.
Fiona settled onto the bed beside of her love, placing her arm around her shoulder. Imogen sighed and let her head drop onto Fiona's shoulder. "We're really doing this, huh?" For the first time in days, she saw a smile on the other girl's face.
"We're really doing this." She confirmed, matching her grin and placing a chaste kiss on her forehead. "How soon, d'you think? Fiona asked suddenly, uncertain as to when Imogen would want to leave.
"Right away."
"Today?" Her eyes widened, she hadn't even begun getting her stuff ready.
"Tomorrow."
"If that's the case, I need to go and get my things ready. I also need to talk to Thomas and to the chauffeur and write the letter. I've got a lot to do, my goodness." Fiona detangled herself from Imogen's limbs and leaned over, giving her a kiss on the lips. "And you, my darling, pack your things and then relax. It's going to be alright." She assured before getting up from the bed. She stared longingly at her love for a moment and then left the room, heading to the staff lounge to look for the two gentleman whom would assure that things went smoothly.
Fiona found the chauffeur first. Harold was a tall, skinny chap with pale white skin and long black hair. He was sitting at the table eating some jam and bread when she interrupted him. He wiped his mouth, looking at her with shock. He apparently hadn't expected to run into one of the Ladies of the house down here.
"Don't be alarmed. Harold, is it?" He nodded, surprised she actually knew his name. He had driven her plenty of times, but never knew she paid him any mind. "Well, Harold, I'm offering you a good sum of money to do me a favour. You see," She dropped her voice. "I'm planning on running away tomorrow. Imogen and I both, we're leaving, and we'd like you to take us to the train station. Please don't say anything to anyone about our arrangement. They will find out soon enough, as I will be leaving a note, but you should not be punished. I will reward you greatly, I've got this cheque from my father's book-I'll make it out to you right now should you agree."
"I-are you joking?" Harold choked.
Fiona chuckled at him. "I assure you I am not." She pulled the cheque from her bag along with a pen, glancing at Harold. "Would a thousand pounds be plenty?"
Harold had never had that much money in his life. He nodded profusely, unable to believe this was really happening. With a swish of her pen, Fiona wrote out the cheque and forged her father's signature. She handed it over to Harold with a grin.
"You won't regret this. Five a.m. tomorrow, we shall meet you out front." She paused, thinking for a moment about the car and the noise it made. "It would be best if you started it in the garage, then pushed it up front, so the family wouldn't hear it. I'm going to talk to Thomas, I'm sure he'll help you."
Holding the cheque in his hand as if it were made of gold, Harold beamed at her. "It would be my pleasure," He cried, tears of joy coming to his green eyes. "I will see you then, m'lady." He bowed several times and then left the table, practically running through the hallway.
Fiona laughed a bit, amused at his reaction and then set out for Thomas' office, which was located just down the hall. She stopped outside the door and knocked firmly.
"Come in." His voice was stern, expecting one of his staff members and not a member of the family. When she came in she closed the door behind her, and Thomas glanced up with a soft 'ahh.' "What could I do for you, m'lady?" He asked, raising his eyebrows at her.
She stepped closer and sat down in the chair across from his desk. He had been apparently counting their wine supply or some such, and he put down the wine glass and his pen, looking at her with an eager expression. Surely he was wondering what she was doing in his office. Fiona crossed her legs and cleared her throat.
"It's a private matter, of utmost importance. I trust you, Thomas, with my life. I am about to carry out a remarkable scheme, and I need your help in any way possible."
"Well, I daresay you've caught my attention. Continue."
She smiled proudly. "Do you remember when I asked you about the impropriety of friendship between a maid and her lady, and you agreed with me that there was no such thing? Say the friendship went further than...friendship. Say the women developed romantic feelings toward one another. What would you think of that?"
Thomas coughed, covering his mouth as he did so. He looked away for a moment, thinking. It was a lot for him to take in, and it was several minutes before he responded, making Fiona more anxious by the second.
"I am not one to judge, Lady Fiona, you of all people know that. Surely it's unexpected and u...uncustomary, but-well, you've always been an unusual individual, ever since you were a little girl." He stopped to stare at her intensely. "Your hypothetical situation, it has happened, yes? And I'm assuming your scheme has something to do with continuing your, um, intimacy with...her, am I correct?"
"Yes-it's a horribly long tale, Thom, truly it is. But we've fallen in love. I know that I'm not safe here. My brother has done horrible things to me since he found out, and such things will only continue should I live in this household." Fiona explained passionately, Thomas listening as she did so. "I have devised a plan, that tomorrow, Imogen and I will be driven to the train station by Harold. I've already talked with him and paid him off. I'm to leave a letter of explanation on my pillow, but they won't have found it until I'm already gone."
Thomas nodded in understanding. "I see, and where do I come in?"
Fiona took a breath. "You would get some of your staff to help Harold in the morning, to push the car so that my parents and brother don't hear it when it starts. And then once Imogen and I get settled somewhere, you will give her a shining reference so that she can get a new job. It's not much, but I understand that I'm still asking a lot of you and your staff. My parents don't have to know you were involved, and even if they did, they shan't fire you. You're irreplaceable."
"I will help you, Lady Fiona. I will help you because I see the look of love in your eyes, and I feel the sadness in your heart, and I know you cannot be happy here. You always were destined for greater things." He stood up. "You have great challenges ahead of you. But with Imogen by your side, I believe you will do quite well for yourself. Both of you might have to work to the bone, but your love will be enough to keep you happy, in the end. At least that's what I hope. Just know, that you will most likely never be able to return to your family. Once the choice is made, you can't go back. Do you understand?"
Fiona was overwhelmed by the power in his words. The fact that he had so much faith in her was both alarming and wonderful. She threw her arms around him and nestled her head in the crook of his neck, smelling his cologne as she did so. "I understand, Thomas. I don't know how I'll ever repay you." She cried against him and he smoothed back her hair, smiling.
"There, there, child. You already have." Fiona pulled away and he continued on, explaining to her that she had repaid him already just by being able to watch her grow up.
"Seeing you throughout the years has brought me immense joy. I've seen you blossom and grow into a beautiful young woman with strong convictions. You are incredibly brave to be doing what you're doing. Most would call it reckless. I think otherwise. I admire you, ever so much, and it is the least I can do to give you this favour, in repayment for allowing me to watch you turn into the most wonderful individual I've ever known. I will write the reference and you may take it with you, and please, child, write to me to let me know how you're getting along. You can use a pseudonym, I will know it's you. I'd know your handwriting anywhere."
There were tears in both of their eyes and they embraced once again before pulling apart. Thomas pulled out a piece of parchment and wrote out a lengthy, positive reference for Imogen and one for Fiona as well, which she hadn't asked for. He handed them over and she placed them in her bag, thanking him once again.
"Be well, Fiona. I hope to see you again someday."
Those were his parting words. She went upstairs and packed away as much stuff as she could muster, placing the valuable items in her bag and only taking the essential other items. It was unusual, but she would have to go about the rest of her night as usual and then she would write her letter this evening, so that she had it for the morning. Fiona was nervous. She hoped she could carry this out without everything going awry. But Thomas' words steadied her-he seemed to believe in her even more than she did in herself, and with his help and the rest of the staff's, they would succeed.
She went to dinner and acted pleasant, conversing with her parents, her brother, Holly and Bobby. It was a shame things had to be with this way, but she didn't see any other choice. Fiona excused herself from conversation and was about to head back to her room when someone grabbed her arm. Spinning around, her heart beat wildly in her chest, fearing that it was her brother fixing for a second round of what he'd done to her before. But it was Holly. She relaxed.
"I'd like to speak with you, privately for a moment." She said in a hushed whisper. Fiona nodded and they went off into another room, closing the door behind them.
"What is it?" Fiona asked, sensing an urgency to Holly's tone.
The redhead regarded her with an uncertain expression. "I...confronted Declan. I know, I shouldn't have-he got violent with me." She pulled up her sleeve to reveal a sizable bruise. "But he admitted to it. He admitted to doing those things with you. I broke it off with him. I leave tonight. We're going to tell them the engagement's off, as soon as I join them in the library. I just thought I should say goodbye, since I doubt I'll ever see you again."
Fiona sighed and immediately brought Holly into a hug. "You're right about that. You may be leaving tonight, but I'm going in the morning."
"Are you really?" She questioned when they broke away from the embrace. "With the maid?"
"None other. It's all planned out. I was just going upstairs to write the farewell letter to my parents. Don't worry, I'll tell them what he did to us. They need to know." Fiona said seriously, squeezing Holly's hand. "You know, I always thought you deserved better than him."
Holly chuckled lightly despite the situation. "What? Like you?"
"Perhaps..." Fiona laughed along with her. "Promise me you'll find a better man than him."
"I promise you I will. Do you know where you'll be staying yet? I'd like to write to you if I could."
"Not just yet, but give me yours and I will write you." Holly J rattled off her home address and Fiona put it in her memory, giving her friend a kiss on the cheek and a slight wave before she went upstairs.
Immediately upon reaching her bedroom she wrote down the address Holly had given her, and then set out to write the letter. It took her a good bit of time, she wanted her writing to look nice and she felt she had a lot to say. She rang the bell for Imogen to help her undress, leaving the letter on the table as the girl aided her for the last time in the removal of her clothes.
"I want you to read it, before you go." Fiona told her and Imogen agreed. When she'd finished, she picked the letter up off the table and began to read it.
Dearest mother and father, I know this may come as a shock to you, but I've run away. Please, do not panic, as I am not alone. I have my maid with me and we are starting a new life together. It is difficult to explain the culmination of events that have led me to this point, but I will do my best to try. All my life I've felt a part of me was missing. I didn't know what that part was until I realized something about myself. I've never been attracted to a man and I never will. That might be hard for you to accept, but that's who I am. Instead of men, I experience an attraction to other women. I know that if you knew of this, you would disapprove and I would bring ruin upon this family. I do not wish to do that. Only a fair few know of my peculiar attraction to girls. One of them is Declan. When I told him, he had the most violent of reactions. I suppose he had good intentions, but his method of helping me was extremely disturbing. I do not wish to rehash all the details with you, as I'm sure it is hard enough to hear what your son is capable of, but he believed that if he took advantage of me sexually, that he could make me feel an attraction to him. I do not excuse what he has done on the account of trying to help, because even so, what he did to me has changed my life forever. I cannot look at him without feeling sick, and I revile him so. Your son is a monster of a different sort than I. Holly knew, as well, and I told her of what he did. It was this that caused her to end the engagement with him, along with his own violence toward her. I believe that I have a fine future ahead of me. It might not be what you wished for me, but it is what I want all the same. I love Imogen Moreno as I've never loved anyone before. And best of all, she loves me too. So we're starting our life together now and I hope some day you will find it in your heart to forgive me. All my best,
Your daughter,
Fiona Celestine Arabella Coyne
